MĀ60 caturdvīpasūtram

[Translated originally from the Sanskrit Sarvāstivāda Madhyamāgama to Classical Chinese by a team led by Sarvāstivāda scholar Gautama Saṃghadeva of Kāśmīra in 398CE.
Translated from the Chinese Taisho Tripiṭaka back to Sanskrit by Ramakrishnan Suryanarayanan in 2024-26.]

madhyamāgame rājasaṃyuktavarge caturdvīpasūtraṃ tṛtīyam.

evaṃ mayā śrutam. ekasminsamaye bhagavāñchrāvastyāṃ viharati sma jetavane'nāthapiṇḍadasyārāme.

tena khalu samayenāyuṣmānānandaḥ pratisaṃlīno rahogata evaṃ cetasā cittavitarkamudapādayat—alpāḥ khalvevāsmilloke manuṣyā ye kāmeṣu tṛptāḥ kāmeṣu parikhinnāḥ kāmeṣu nirviṇṇāḥ kālaṃ kurvanti. sudurlabhāḥ khalvevāsmilloke manuṣyā ye kāmeṣu tṛptāḥ kāmeṣu parikhinnāḥ kāmeṣu nirviṇṇāḥ kālaṃ kurvantīti.

athāyuṣmānānandaḥ sāyāhnasamaye pratisaṃlayanādvyutthāya yena bhagavāṃstenopajagāma. upetya bhagavantamabhivādyaikānte'sthāt. ekānte sthita āyuṣmānānando bhagavantametadavocat—ihāhaṃ bhadanta pratisaṃlīno rahogata evaṃ cetasā cittavitarkamudapādayam—alpāḥ khalvevāsmilloke manuṣyā ye kāmeṣu tṛptāḥ kāmeṣu parikhinnāḥ kāmeṣu nirviṇṇāḥ kālaṃ kurvanti. sudurlabhāḥ khalvevāsmilloke manuṣyā ye kāmeṣu tṛptāḥ kāmeṣu parikhinnāḥ kāmeṣu nirviṇṇāḥ kālaṃ kurvantīti.

evamukte bhagavānāyuṣmantamānandametadavocat—evametadānanda, evametadānanda. alpāḥ khalvevāsmilloke manuṣyā ye kāmeṣu tṛptāḥ kāmeṣu parikhinnāḥ kāmeṣu nirviṇṇāḥ kālaṃ kurvanti. sudurlabhāḥ khalvevāsmilloke manuṣyā ye kāmeṣu tṛptāḥ kāmeṣu parikhinnāḥ kāmeṣu nirviṇṇāḥ kālaṃ kurvanti. atidurlabhāḥ khalvevāsmilloke manuṣyā atidurlabhā ye kāmeṣu tṛptāḥ kāmeṣu parikhinnāḥ kāmeṣu nirviṇṇāḥ kālaṃ kurvanti. ānanda, prabhūtāḥ khalvevāsmilloke manuṣyā atiprabhūtā ye kāmeṣvatṛptāḥ kāmeṣvaparikhinnāḥ kāmeṣvanirviṇṇāḥ kālaṃ kurvanti. tatkasya hetoḥ? bhūtapūrvamānandātīte'dhvani māndhātā nāma rājā babhūva mūrdhajaścakravartī cāturanto dhārmiko dharmarājaḥ saptaratnasamanvāgataḥ. tasyemāni divyāni saptaratnāni babhūvuḥ. tadyathā—cakraratnaṃ hastiratnamaśvaratnaṃ maṇiratnaṃ strīratnaṃ gṛhapatiratnaṃ pariṇāyakaratnameva saptamam. pūrṇaṃ cāsya sahasraṃ putrāṇāṃ babhūva śūrāṇāṃ vīrāṇāṃ varāṅgarūpāṇāṃ parasainyapramardanānām. sa imāṃ samudraparyantāṃ mahāpṛthivīmadaṇḍenāśastreṇa dharmeṇa samena vijityānuśaśāsa prajāḥ sukhe cāvasthāpayāmāsa.

athānanda, tasya rājño māndhāturdīrghasyādhvano'tyayādevamabhūt—ayaṃ me jambūdvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca. saṃvidyante me saptaratnāni pūrṇaṃ ca me putrasahasram. yannvahamantaḥpure saptāhaṃ jānudaghnaṃ ratnavarṣaṃ pravarṣayeyamiti. tasyānanda, rājño māndhāturmaharddhikasya mahānubhāvasya mahāpuṇyasya mahātejasaḥ sahacittotpādādevāntaḥpure saptāhaṃ jānudaghnaṃ ratnavarṣaṃ prāvarṣat.

athānanda, tasya rājño māndhāturdīrghasyādhvano'tyayādevamabhūt—ayaṃ me jambūdvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca. saṃvidyante me saptaratnāni pūrṇaṃ ca me putrasahasramantaḥpure ca me saptāhaṃ jānudaghnaṃ ratnavarṣaṃ pravarṣitam. śrutaṃ mayā pūrvakairmanuṣyairākhyāyamāne paścimāyāṃ diśyaparagodānīyo nāma dvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca. yannvahamaparagodānīyaṃ dvīpamupasaṅkrāmeyamiti. sa caturaṅgiṇyā senayā ṛddhyā vihāyasāparagodānīyaṃ dvīpamupajagāma. tatra tasya rājño māndhāturanantāni varṣasahasrāṇyaparagodānīyaṃ dvīpaṃ vijityādhyāvātsīt.

athānanda, tasya rājño māndhāturdīrghasyādhvano'tyayādevamabhūt—ayaṃ me jambūdvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca. saṃvidyante me saptaratnāni pūrṇaṃ ca me putrasahasramantaḥpure ca me saptāhaṃ jānudaghnaṃ ratnavarṣaṃ pravarṣitam. vijitaśca mayāparagodānīyo dvīpaḥ. śrutaṃ mayā pūrvakairmanuṣyairākhyāyamāne pūrvasyāṃ diśi pūrvavideho nāma dvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca. yannvahaṃ pūrvavidehaṃ dvīpamupasaṅkrāmeyamiti. sa caturaṅgiṇyā senayā ṛddhyā vihāyasā pūrvavidehaṃ dvīpamupajagāma. tatra tasya rājño māndhāturanantāni varṣasahasrāṇi pūrvavidehaṃ dvīpaṃ vijityādhyāvātsīt.

athānanda, tasya rājño māndhāturdīrghasyādhvano'tyayādevamabhūt—ayaṃ me jambūdvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca. saṃvidyante me saptaratnāni pūrṇaṃ ca me putrasahasramantaḥpure ca me saptāhaṃ jānudaghnaṃ ratnavarṣaṃ pravarṣitam. vijitaśca mayāparagodānīyo dvīpo vijitaśca pūrvavideho dvīpaḥ. śrutaṃ mayā pūrvakairmanuṣyairākhyāyamāne uttarasyāṃ diśyuttarakururnāma dvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca yatrāmi manuṣyā ahaṅkāramamakāravarjitāḥ. yannvahamuttarakuruṃ dvīpamupasaṅkrāmeyamiti. sa caturaṅgiṇyā senayā saparijana ṛddhyā vihāyasottarakuruṃ dvīpamupajagāma.

sa ṛddhyā vihāyasottarakuruṃ dvīpaṃ gacchaṃdūrādeva śuklāṃ bhūmiṃ dadarśa. dṛṣṭvā cāmātyānpariṇāyakānāmantrayata—paśyatha yūyaṃ bhoḥ puruṣā etāmuttarakurudvīpe śuklāṃ bhūmim. te'vocan—paśyāmo deva. rājāha—eṣa khalu bhoḥ puruṣā uttarakurūṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāmakṛṣṭapacyaḥ śāliryamuttarakuravo manuṣyāḥ paribhuñjate. tadahaṃ bhuñje yūyamapi taṃ śāliṃ bhuñjīdhvam. rājā māndhātā dūrādeva vicitrānvastravṛkṣānvedikāparikṣiptāndadarśa. dṛṣṭvā cāmātyānpariṇāyakānāmantrayata—paśyatha yūyaṃ bhoḥ puruṣā vicitrānvastravṛkṣānvedikāparikṣiptān. te'vocan—paśyāmo deva. rājāha—ete khalu bhoḥ puruṣā uttarakurūṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ vastravṛkṣā yata uttarakuravo manuṣyā vastrāṇi gṛhītvā prāvaranti. tadahaṃ prāvarāmi yūyamapyetāni vastrāṇi gṛhītvā prāvṛṇudhvam. tatra tasya rājño māndhāturanantāni varṣasahasrāṇyuttarakuruṃ dvīpaṃ vijityādhyāvātsītsaparijanaḥ.

athānanda, tasya rājño māndhāturdīrghasyādhvano'tyayādevamabhūt—ayaṃ me jambūdvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca. saṃvidyante me saptaratnāni pūrṇaṃ ca me putrasahasramantaḥpure ca me saptāhaṃ jānudaghnaṃ ratnavarṣaṃ pravarṣitam. vijitaśca mayāparagodānīyo dvīpo vijitaśca pūrvavideho dvīpo vijitaścauttarakurur dvīpaḥ. śrutaṃ mayā pūrvakairmanuṣyairākhyāyamāne santi trāyastriṃśā nāma devāḥ. yannvahaṃ yena trāyastriṃśā devāstenopasaṅkrāmeyamiti. sa caturaṅgiṇyā senayā ṛddhyā sūryābhimukhaṃ vihāyasā prayayau.

sa dūrādeva sumeruṃ parvatarājānaṃ mahāmeghasaṃkāśaṃ dadarśa. dṛṣṭvā cāmātyānpariṇāyakānāmantrayata—paśyatha yūyaṃ bhoḥ puruṣā sumeruṃ parvatarājānaṃ mahāmeghasaṃkāśam. te'vocan—paśyāmo deva. rājāha—eṣa khalu bhoḥ puruṣāstrāyastriṃśānāṃ devānāṃ pārijāto nāma vṛkṣo yatra devā grīṣmāṇāṃ caturthe māse pañcabhiḥ kāmaguṇaiḥ samarpitāḥ samaṅgībhūtāḥ krīḍanti ramante paricārayanti. sa dūrādeva sumeroḥ parvatarājasya dakṣiṇasyāṃ diśi mahāmeghasaṃkāśaṃ dadarśa. dṛṣṭvā cāmātyānpariṇāyakānāmantrayata—paśyatha yūyaṃ bhoḥ puruṣā sumeroḥ parvatarājasya dakṣiṇasyāṃ diśi mahāmeghasaṃkāśam. te'vocan—paśyāmo deva. rājāha—eṣā khalu bhoḥ puruṣāstrāyastriṃśānāṃ devānāṃ sudharmā nāma devasabhā yatra devā aṣṭamyāṃ caturdaśyāṃ pañcadaśyāṃ ca devānāṃ ca manuṣyāṇāṃ cārthāya dharmaṃ cintayantyarthaṃ cintayanti.

athānanda, rājā māndhātā trāyastriṃśaddevalokamanuprāptaḥ sudharmāṃ devasabhāṃ praviveśa. atha śakro devānāmindraḥ svakādāsanādardhāsanaṃ rājñe māndhātre prādāt. tatra rājā māndhātā śakrasya devānāmindrasyārdhāsane niṣasāda. tatra niṣaṇṇayostayorna kiñcinnānākaraṇaṃ prajñāyate sma prabhayā vā varṇena vā rūpeṇa vā īryāpathena vā vastreṇa vā ṛte'kṣinimeṣāt.

athānanda, tasya rājño māndhāturdīrghasyādhvano'tyayādevamabhūt—ayaṃ me jambūdvīpaḥ sphītaśca kṣemaśca subhikṣo bāhujanyaśca. saṃvidyante me saptaratnāni pūrṇaṃ ca me putrasahasramantaḥpure ca me saptāhaṃ jānudaghnaṃ ratnavarṣaṃ pravarṣitam. vijitaśca mayāparagodānīyo dvīpo vijitaśca pūrvavideho dvīpo vijitaścauttarakurur dvīpaḥ. praveśitā ca mayā sudharmā devasabhā, āsitaṃ ca mayā śakrasya devānāmindrasyārdhāsane. mama ca śakrasya ca na kiñcinnānākaraṇaṃ prajñāyate prabhayā vā varṇena vā rūpeṇa vā īryāpathena vā vastreṇa vā ṛte'kṣinimeṣāt. yannvahamidānīṃ śakraṃ devānāmindraṃ cyāvayitvā devānāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ caika eva rājyaṃ kārayeyamiti.

athānanda, sahacittotpādādeva rājā māndhātā pranaṣṭarddhiko jambūdvīpe prapapāta gāḍhaglānaśca saṃvṛttaḥ. tasminmaraṇasamaye'mātyā upasaṅkramya pṛcchanti sma—yadi deva brāhmaṇagṛhapatayo'mātyā janapadāścāsmānpṛccheyuḥ, rājñā māndhātrā maraṇasamaye kimetadbhāṣitamiti, kimasmābhirvyākartavyam.

rājā māndhātovāca—yadi bhoḥ puruṣā brāhmaṇagṛhapatayo'mātyā janapadāśca yuṣmānpṛccheyuḥ, rājñā māndhātrā maraṇasamaye kimetadbhāṣitamiti, evaṃ yūyaṃ pratyūcatha. rājā māndhātā jambūdvīpenātṛpta eva kālagataḥ, saptaratnairātṛpta eva kālagataḥ, putrasahasreṇātṛpta eva kālagataḥ, saptāharatnavarṣeṇātṛpta eva kālagataḥ, aparagodānīyadvīpenātṛpta eva kālagataḥ, pūrvavidehadvīpenātṛpta eva kālagataḥ, uttarakurudvīpenātṛpta eva kālagataḥ, trāyastriṃśadevadarśanenātṛpta eva kālagataḥ, pañcabhiḥ kāmaguṇai rūpaśabdagandharasasparśairātṛpta eva kālagata iti. yadi bhoḥ puruṣā brāhmaṇagṛhapatayo'mātyā janapadāśca yuṣmānpṛccheyuḥ, rājñā māndhātrā maraṇasamaye kimetadbhāṣitamiti, evaṃ yūyaṃ pratyūcatha.

atrāntare bhagavānimā gāthā abhāṣata—

na divyaratnavarṣeṇa tṛptiḥ kāmeṣu vidyate | alpāsvādā duḥkhāḥ kāmā iti vijñāya paṇḍitaḥ || bhavetsuvarṇarāśiścedyathā himavān giriḥ | nātra tṛptiṃ prapaśyāmi iti vidvānvicintayet || api divyeṣu kāmeṣu ratiṃ na labhate budhaḥ | tṛṣṇākṣayarato bhikṣuḥ samyaksambuddhaśrāvakaḥ ||

evamukte bhagavānāyuṣmantamānandametadavocat—syātkhalvānanda te evamabhūdanyo'sau tena samayena rājā māndhātābhūditi. na khalvevaṃ draṣṭavyam. ahaṃ sa tena samayena rājā māndhātābhūvam. tadāhaṃ tādṛśyā dharmadeśanayā ātmānamanugṛhṇāmi sma paraṃ cānugṛhṇāmi sma bahujanaṃ manuṣyalokaṃ devāṃśca sukhe cāvasthāpayāmi sma. na hi sā, ānanda, dharmadeśanā ekāntanirvedāya virāgāya nirodhāya upaśamāyābhijñāyai sambodhāya nirvāṇāya saṃvartate sma. nāpyātyantikabrahmacaryāya nātyantikabrahmacaryaparyavasānāya saṃvartate sma. tasmājjātijarāvyādhimaraṇaśokaparidevaduḥkhadaurmanasyopāyāsebhyaḥ sarvaduḥkhānna parimukto'bhūvam. ahaṃ tvidānīṃ tathāgato'rhansamyaksambuddho vidyācaraṇasampannaḥ sugato lokavidanuttaraḥ puruṣadamyasārathiḥ śāstā devānāṃ ca manuṣyāṇāṃ ca buddho bhagavān. ātmānamanugṛhṇāmi paraṃ cānugṛhṇāmi bahujanaṃ manuṣyalokaṃ devāṃśca sukhe cāvasthāpayāmi. idānīṃ cāhaṃ dharmaṃ deśayāmi ya ekāntanirvedāya virāgāya nirodhāya upaśamāyābhijñāyai sambodhāya nirvāṇāya saṃvartate. ātyantikabrahmacaryāya ātyantikabrahmacaryaparyavasānāya saṃvartate. tasmājjātijarāvyādhimaraṇaśokaparidevaduḥkhadaurmanasyopāyāsebhyaḥ sarvaduḥkhāt parimukto'smi.

idamavocadbhagavān. āttamanasa āyuṣmānānandaste ca bhikṣavo bhagavato bhāṣitamabhyanandan.

caturdvīpasūtraṃ tṛtīyaṃ samāptam.